Read Online And the Greatest of These Is Love: A Contemporary Christian Romance Novel by Staci Stallings - Free Book Online Page B

wrong side of the tracks they can’t even see the tracks from where they are?”
    At one time that joke would’ve been funny, but somehow it seemed truly insulting to Andrew now. Gabi’s tear-streaked face flashed through his mind, and his heart wound around itself at his own arrogance and heartlessness. She didn’t deserve to be relegated to the laughing joke over the water cooler. None of them did.
    “A place,” Rob continued as if he thought Drew would join in at any moment, “that last week you would’ve scaled Mount Everest to avoid, and now not only are you doing a story on it, you talked Bill into letting you do a whole series on it?”
    “This story’s important,” Andrew said, wishing he had gone home instead of coming here.
    Rob’s eyebrows reached for the ceiling. “More important than taking down a district attorney?”
    Andrew just sat there twirling his pencil in his fingers, thinking through the absurdity of it all. Had it been a week ago and the rolls reversed, he would absolutely be asking the same question of Rob, and the truth was, he didn’t have an answer for that one no matter how logical it sounded.
    “Is that a no comment, Mr. Clark?” Rob asked, eyeing him closely. He waited for a response, and when it didn’t come, he knew. He leaned back in the chair. “So, what’s her name?”
    Andrew stood, annoyed more with himself than with Rob, and walked over to the coffee pot while Rob’s eyes burned holes into his back. Was he throwing away the story of a lifetime, the story that could make his career for a girl who hated his guts? He filled his coffee cup and sipped it slowly on his way back to his desk. He sat down, desperately avoiding Rob’s eyes because his friend knew too much.
    “You’re not going to tell me, are you?” Rob finally asked.
    A few seconds and checking over his notes, Andrew started typing, hoping Rob would take the hint.
    A few more, and Rob shook his head. “All right, but promise me you’ll let me meet her before you run off to Vegas and get hitched.”
     

Chapter 6
     
    Andrew’s was the first car in the center’s parking lot the following morning. It had taken two alarm clocks and a whole pot of coffee, but he was awake, and he was here — waiting.
     
    Gabi pulled slowly into the parking lot and immediately noticed the little red sports car. It wasn’t the first time she’d dealt with pushers on the center’s grounds, but the other time Jerry had been here for back up. And right now his car was nowhere in sight. Fear wound its way through her brain as she contemplated her options. She could just drive away and wait for Jerry, or she could park close enough to the front doors to try to get into the building before they had the chance to get out.
    She had one foot on the brake and one on the accelerator, trying to decide what to do when the car door opened and out stepped... Andrew? Her breathing and thought-patterns slammed to a stop. What in the world was he doing here? One more good look, and she knew it was him, now striding across the lot right to her car. She rolled her eyes in disgust, shoved the car in park, and shut it off. Great. What a wonderful way to start off the morning.
    “Hi,” he said, greeting her brightly as she stepped out of the car dragging her stuff and her anger at him out with her.
    “Hello.” Formal and cold. That would be best. She slammed the door of her car and without really much of a glance at him, walked purposefully across the lot. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
    “Yeah, well, I thought it’d be a good idea to see what a whole day around here is like,” he said, hurrying to keep up with her. His breath made little smoke puffs in the morning air. “Research for my story, you know.”
    “Uh-huh.” Her scowl didn’t so much as deter him as he followed her up to the doors. She tipped her head toward the lot. “And the little red number?”
    “My car.” He dug his hands deeper into his pockets as